Child Licensing Laws

To obtain a license for a child under the age of 18, including a driver license, work permit or marriage license, the child often must have permission from a parent or guardian. Some states allow minors of a certain age to bypass the parental consent requirement by going to court and getting permission from a judge through a court order.

Driver Licenses and Learner Permits

Each state varies as to what age an individual must be in order to get a learner permit or driver license. Most states require that a person be at least 16 before he can get a learner permit, with some exceptions. For example, children as young as 14 can get a permit to drive in Arkansas, and some states issue learner permits to individuals at 15 years of age.

Regardless of state law, any minor under the age of 18 must have parental permission to get a driver license or learner permit. The age that a person can get a restricted license is typically 16 years and six months. Some states, such as New Jersey, require that a person be older and other states, like North Dakota, will issue licenses to those at a younger age. For full, unrestricted licenses, the age is usually 18. However, Washington, D.C. requires individuals to be 21 and a number of states will issue licenses to individuals as young as 16.

Marriage Licenses

In all states except Nebraska, individuals must be at least 18 years old in order to obtain a marriage license. In Nebraska, you must be at least 19 years old. Although marriage is typically not allowed for minors under the age of 16, even with consent, children can sometimes get a marriage license at an earlier age with parental consent. A few states, such as Maryland, allow children under the age of 18 to apply for a marriage license without parental consent if they are pregnant or already have children, or if they have a court order.

Work Permits

Many states allow children under of the age 18 to work, with some restrictions. Most states also require the child laborer to have a work permit and parental consent. The Fair Labor Standards Act sets the minimum working age at 14, with some exceptions. For example, children under the age of 14 can be employed on a farm that is owned or operated by their parents.